The SDLP will join other political parties for intensivetalks in Scotland this week with Mr Ahern and British primeminister Tony Blair.

Mr Durkan, who led a six-member talks delegation to Dublin,said: “I welcome the fact that Sinn Féin and the DUP arefinally catching up with the rest of us, but they shouldn’tdelay too long.

“They shouldn’t think that just because they’ve got awaywith holding us up for so long that they can do it again.”

Mr Durkan reiterated that the DUP was negotiating changesto the Good Friday Agreement which were dangerous.

“Changes are being conceded to the DUP and some of them areactually dangerous,” he said. “Some can lead to worsegovernance, stalemate and stand-offs within government.

“The DUP is looking for all sorts of drive-by vetoes onwhat various ministers are doing.”

Mr Durkan said that his party had better ideas on fine-tuning Executive and it would be bringing them to the talksat St Andrews in Scotland.

The SDLP said the Good Friday Agreement boils down to thetwo key principles of an inclusive democracy and a lawfulsociety.

“What we really need is to find out if Sinn Féin signed upto a lawful society and the DUP signs up to an inclusivedemocracy,” said Mr Durkan.

“We have to move forward with a sense of purpose.”

He said that the DUP has come a long way from saying no topower-sharing and North-South co-operation, while Sinn Féinhas also moved on from supporting violence to possiblyentering policing structures.

Mr Durkan also raised concerns about MI5’s role inintelligence gathering in the North.

“We see the move to give MI5 primacy in terms ofintelligence policing as outside the Patton Report,” saidthe Foyle MP.

“The British Government cannot ask us to trust what theytell us we cannot know. If you can’t even get that degreeof transparency and openness about the British how do weknow that it’s not going to be outside accountablepolicing.”

Mr Durkan also dismissed Sinn Féin suggestions thatinternal difficulties in the Irish Government had been adistraction from efforts to push for power-sharing.

The DUP leader, Ian Paisley, has accused the NorthernSecretary, Peter Hain, of being deceitful about how far theIRA had gone to end all its activities.

He was speaking after meeting the Independent MonitoringCommission.

Earlier he had what he described as very good and usefuldiscussions with the Catholic Primate, Archbishop SeanBrady, their first such meeting.

The two shook hands and smiled for the cameras before the90-minute meeting began.

The need to develop support for the administration ofjustice and law and order formed part of their discussions,according to Archbishop Brady, who said: 'A lot of progresshas been made. Hopes are now rising for further progress.'

Dr Brady said the talks were helpful and constructive.

Dr Paisley was joined at the meeting by DUP members PeterRobinson, Nigel Dodds and Gregory Campbell.

Dr Brady was accompanied by five members of the NorthernIreland Catholic Council on Social Affairs, AuxiliaryBishop of Derry, Dr Frank Lagan, Fr Tim Bartlett, AnneGibson, Martin O'Brien and Deirdre O'Rawe.